Talk to someone who gets it.
Talk to someone who gets you.
Meet theTeam
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MA, LPC, CEO of Trellis Counseling & Co. PLLC
Adjunct Faculty, Texas A&M University San Antonio
It’s not every day a fourth-generation funeral director becomes a licensed professional counselor. Let’s just say I know trauma and grief. I know how to have hard conversations and I don’t shy away from big feelings.
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Working in the funeral profession, I felt a longing to know more of the story, beyond the grief. I enrolled in graduate school in 2017 and in 2019 I developed ©After Suicide: Survive, Learn, Heal in response to experiencing suicide bereavement myself.
At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, I felt more called than ever to help. I created the Behavioral Health Integration Program (BEHIP) and with the back up of incredible interns, the program grew to almost 500 patients, all seen virtually, with fewer than two reported suicide attempts.
Then, May 24, 2022 came and the second worst school shooting in America happened at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, killing 21 people including 19 children. Like many, I prayed, and I responded as a mortuary and counseling professional. I completed a year of service in partnership with The Children’s Bereavement Center of South Texas, and folks from Hillcrest Funeral Home, Sacred Heart Catholic School, St. Philips Episcopal Church, and others; These people and this community will always be family and I am changed by my time there.
In August 2022, I felt my Faith calling me home, and I opened Trellis Counseling & Co. PLLC. Around this time, I was also invited to teach at my alma mater, Texas A&M University San Antonio in a the Human Services program. I knew I wanted to teach and help shape a new generation of healers.
In December 2022, a longtime mentor, professor and friend died unexpectedly. The world was spinning… but I started teaching anyway because I knew my desire to mentor and share was greater than grief. I still teach to this day, and my students are the light in this world.
And now? Well now I get the best of both worlds. I love seeing my patients in Boerne, Texas and online, and advocating for mental and emotional wellness throughout the Texas Hill Country and beyond.
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Part of how I work professionally, and personally, is in the spirit of breaking stigma, and talking openly about things that are hard. If I expect my patients to do it…I hold myself to the same standard. So, here it is. This is my cancer story.
In June 2023, I had a hysterectomy that was scheduled as a routine procedure. I went home the day after my surgery, and my doctor called. He began talking and then, “and malignancy has been identified.” Every. single. thing. stopped. The entire universe stopped in that moment. I have cancer.
He asked if I had any questions, and of course I had ALL the questions and NONE of the questions at the same time.
Over the course of the summer, I spent time recovering. I went to MD Anderson, and had so very many tests. It was a blur. It was unlike anything else. It felt like it wasn’t my life, that this was a movie or something happening to someone else.
This cancer occurs in 2% of all female reproductive cancers, and typically by the time it’s discovered, it’s more advanced than treatable. I was one of the lucky ones who would LIVE. My summer of cancer was over.
With the help of my amazing therapist, I am processing this whirlwind with a healthy mind and full heart. Every day isn’t perfect…and I still have my “I’m sorry, what just happened?” moments. I’m sharing this here because it’s part of who I am, and in some ironic way, may give me a better understanding of what someone else is going through.
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MEd, LPC
I'm fortunate to have worn several different hats in my life- from Air Force, to educator, yoga teacher and counselor. These experiences in all these various fields have gifted me the confidence and knowledge to take on BIG challenges and realize empowerment through adversity.
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As an Air Force veteran, I had the privilege of working with a wide variety of individuals from diverse backgrounds. As a biracial female I learned multiculturalism from a young age and only expanded that knowledge as an elementary and later high school teacher, registered yoga teacher, a school counselor and later a mental health counselor. I'm comfortable providing individuals, couples, and families with a judgement free space to work through life's challenges and transitions.
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How many of you have heard this, or even said it, but aren't comfortable talking about it for yourself? Often times we are ready to be a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on, or a helping hand to those around us; yet we struggle with getting ourselves the help we need. I was raised to keep my problems to myself, to not share "secrets" with people outside of my immediate family, and to push through my problems.
Those coping strategies didn't serve me well and my physical health forced me to pay attention to my emotional health. I didn't have the capacity or strength to tackle PTSD, divorce, or severe grief on my own, but I didn't dare tell anyone because I thought being strong meant keeping my problems to myself. It turns out that real strength is having the courage to ask for help.
Having finally recognized the strong mind-body connection, I continue to see my own therapist on a regular basis and love the ability to share my feelings and experiences in a judgement free space. In turn, I love being able to provide a similar experience to others- a space where you can share your deepest emotions, actions, and thoughts with someone who sees you with unconditional positive regard. A space where you can be your true authentic self.
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Item description
What does therapy actually look like?
Your therapy space is somewhere to heal, not a sterile medical building or corporate office. Our comfortable abode boasts reclaimed materials blended with modern comforts and amenities including:
Complimentary coffee & tea bar
Spacious work table in the gathering room
Resource center stocked with vetted, local providers within the Trellis Preferred Provider Network and professional organizations
Cozy waiting nook with seating for six
Complimentary guest wifi access
Nearly 1 acre of creekside walking grounds
Easy to find, yet discrete location
…and much more!
Welcome to Trellis.
Here’s a tour of the grounds at
501 E. San Antonio Avenue.
Trellis Counseling & Co. PLLC and Magnolia Psychiatry are both housed here.
Located just off of Blanco Road in downtown Boerne, Texas, you will find all of the trimmings of small-town charm and antiquity, combined with a contemporary design packed with serenity. From our front steps, you can see the old City Hall, rumored to be soon elevated into a luxurious boutique hotel. You’ll even hear the church bells from St. John Lutheran and First United Methodist Church just a block away,
You’ll see a one-story 1950’s grey house with red window trim- that’s the main space! Parking is available on the street at no charge. From there, you’ll walk up the front stoop and pop into our cozy waiting nook, or you can grab a refreshment at our coffee & tea bar in the gathering room. Optionally, you can wait in your vehicle until your counselor messages you.
IMPORTANT: Trellis is a handicap-accessible business and we pride ourselves on having a full-size ADA accessible ramp at the back entrance to our building. Parking in the back is kindly reserved for staff, but we’re happy to accommodate you however possible.
DUE TO THE HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE AND NATIVE LANDSCAPING, WEATHER-RELATED ELEMENTS MAY IMPACT YOUR WALK UP TO THE HOUSE. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE DUE TO OUR PROXIMITY TO CURRY CREEK AND THE LOW-WATER CROSSING. IF RAIN OR ICE ARE FORECASTED, PLAN ON DONNING GALOSHES OR REQUEST A SECURE TELEHEALTH SESSION. IF THE CITY OF BOERNE RAISES THE LOW-WATER CROSSING BARRICADES, WE CANNOT SEE INDIVIDUALS IN PERSON.
you’re in the right spot.
501 E. San Antonio Ave.,
Our charming front entrance
Gillian's Therapy Space
Kimberly's Therapy Space
Magnolia Psychiatry
Spacious work table in the Gathering Room
Cozy Waiting Nook, seating for up to six
Free Resource Center & Community Calendar
“
truth & courage aren’t always comfortable, but they’re never weakness.
Brene Brown
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I’m trained in a variety of therapy methods, allowing me to tailor my approach to your unique goals and needs. These include:
Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR)
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
Crisis Response Planning (CRP) for Suicide Prevention
Virtual Reality based therapy & expressive healing arts.
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MA, Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Texas A& M University San Antonio
BA, Psychology- UT Dallas
AAS, Mortuary Science, San Antonio College
Licensed Professional Counselor, State of Texas #84443
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EMDR, Intuitus Group
Cognitive Processing Therapy & Crisis Response Planning, UT Health Science Center
Psychological Autopsy, American Association of Suicidology
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Mortuary & Behavioral Health Responder, Robb ES Mass Violence Event, May 2022
Child Fatality Review Board Member, Regional 2023- present
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Keynote Speaker, Trainer and Advocate, 2019-present
Texas A&M University Faculty Member, Human Services Program 2022-present
Texas Hill Country Counselor’s Association- Chapter President
Texas Counseling Association
American Counseling Association
in therapy with trellis…
We’ll dig deep.
Speaking of hard truths…the kind of counseling offered at Trellis is designed to address topics, like trauma, grief, suicide and perfectionism, in a way that’s direct and open. Our counseling is not made of fluffy platitudes or “look on the bright sides.” Our counseling is designed to be compassionately supportive of whatever your situation may be.
You’re in charge.
This is the #1 and only rule for our therapy sessions. Your therapist may challenge you, and sometimes gently confront you about hard truths. But you are always in charge of your session and if something is off-limits for discussion, then it is: no questions asked.
We don’t fix, you are not broken.
Counseling should be a collaborative, supportive relationship that includes growth, comfort, and understanding. Counseling is not a quick fix. In fact, at Trellis we don’t fix at all, because you are not broken. True, it may feel that way, and feelings are powerful. But our counseling is an interactive process, not a bandaid.
let’s start working together toward a life you love.
Talk to someone who gets it. Talk to someone who gets you.
